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RV Park/Campground Operator’s Manual
Chapter 31
Marketing Objectives & Strategies
Market Segmentation / how to establish your market segments
Marketing Objectives / setting short-term and long-term goals
Marketing Strategies / differentiation, segmentation
Overview
Chapter 29 provided an overview on marketing and Chapter 30 took a look at your current
situation as it relates to marketing your RV park/campground (Situational Analysis). Chapter 31
discusses different market segments you may want to attract to your park.
In analyzing these markets, consider what your RV park/campground has to offer, your future
goals and what potential campers are looking for. Once you have chosen a target group, research
their interests, economic history, geographical location, applicable trends and other factors that
make the target group unique.
Market Segmentation
The first step in market segmentation is to divide your target market into specific, identifiable
segments. It is impossible to be all things to all people; break your overall market into segments
that will have the greatest appeal in your RV park/campground.
Dividing your market into segments
 Divide by the age of potential campers.
 Where they currently live.
 What their lifestyles are.
 By their income levels.
 By a combination of all these (and any other) factors.
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Undoubtedly, the most common way of segmenting a market is by geographic area. There are a
number of reasons for this.
1. Behaviour patterns usually vary from region to region. As a result, it is often possible to
characterize your campers by the geographic area in which they live.
2. Geographically defined markets are usually easy to measure.
3. Travel statistics are normally broken down by region or area, so they naturally have a
geographic base. You can obtain this information from Tourism British Columbia or from
the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC).
Geographic segmentation is not always the best way of assessing potential markets, at least, not
if it is used on its own.
People living in any given geographic area will have wide variances in incomes, interests, age,
etc., therefore segment your market in the following ways.
Seven approaches to market segmentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Purpose of trip
Channel of distribution (or how the camper buys)
Socioeconomic or demographic
Product-related
Psychographic (lifestyle, interests)
Geographic
Use-frequency or seasonality.
Geographic segmentation is only one of the seven approaches to market segmentation. It works
most effectively when combined with one or more of the other six.
In fact, the more segmentation approaches used, the better the results obtained. Each approach
utilized will refine your market to a higher degree.
Remember
The objective is to divide your market into segments, and to
refine each segment in such a way that a high proportion of the
people within that segment will respond to your marketing
message.
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One of the easiest ways to categorize RV park/campground campers is by the type of equipment
campers use. Review your records from previous years or survey the type of RVs stored over
the winter and summarize the number of trailers, 5th wheels, motor homes, park models, tents,
tent trailers, etc. that are on site.
Look at the resulting summary and determine who are your “best” campers. Below is a form to
help you do this.
Market Segmentation Form
Vehicle Type
Current
Campers
% For
Year
Arrived
Weekday
Arrived
Weekend
1-2
Days Stayed
3-5
6-10
11+
Motorhome
RV
5th Wheel
Park Model
Camper Van
Truck Camper
Tent Trailer/
Pop-Ups
Tents
Groups
Other
Other
Totals
100%
Another way to segment the market is by type of camper, such as families, adults, retirees etc.
Whatever the breakdown, determine who you want as campers, and ensure that your facilities
match this target. If the current clientele doesn’t match your perceived target market, you may
have to rethink your operation.
For example, suppose you are marketing an exclusive destination RV resort and placing
advertisements in newspapers or on the radio to reach a large audience. Likely only a few people
within that large audience would respond to this type of marketing.
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You would probably get better results – and at a lower cost – if you reached only that segment of
the overall market that is likely to be interested in destination resort vacations with extensive
recreational facilities.
For a destination RV resort, you might want to
segment your overall market by:
 Income (taking the top 5% of family incomes).
 Geographic area (within two hour’s driving time of your
resort).
 Lifestyle (aiming at people who have an active,
travel-oriented lifestyle and who are willing to spend money).
 Frequency of use (people who frequently vacation at
destination RV resorts).
 Age (perhaps people over 50).
 Interest (people who enjoy the recreational activities that your
RV resort offers).
By defining your target markets in a precise manner, you should be able to identify the kinds of
marketing strategies likely to be successful.
Below is a list of seven main market segmentation approaches identified above, and for each one
a list of the factors on which the segmentation should be based.
a. tourism market segmentation approaches
1. Purpose of trip/segmentation
 pleasure travel
 touring
 vacation
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This is usually the most effective segmentation
approach because the target market is actively
seeking the product you offer.
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2. Channel of distribution segmentation
 direct customer sales
 travel agents
 tour operators
 tour wholesalers
 reservation systems
 provincial tourism marketing organization
 regional and local tourism associations
 RV rental agencies
 on-site rentals
This approach is effective in further afield
markets that cannot be reached directly at
reasonable cost, or where travel trade
companies have a market that is closely related
to yours.
3. socioeconomic or demographic segmentation
 age
 education
 sex
 income
 family size
 family life cycle
 home ownership
 second home ownership
 race or ethnic group
 occupation
This is a commonly used segmentation
approach, as these segments are often easy to
reach and information is usually available.
4. product-related segmentation
 recreational activity
 equipment
 participation patterns
 benefit expectations
 length of stay
 RV classification
 experience preference
These are difficult segments to reach, but are
well matched to the use of specific products.
5. psychographic segmentation
 personality traits
 lifestyle
 attitudes, interest and opinions
 motivations
RV Park/Campground Operator’s Manual
In tourism, this can be an effective
segmentation approach, since tourism product
use is extensive among certain psychographic
groups. Also, many advertising media are
segmented in this way.
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6. geographic segmentation
 country
 state or province
 region
 urban, suburban or rural
 city size
 population density
This is the most common segmentation
approach because these markets are clearly
defined and accessible. It is often not an
efficient approach, unless used in combination
with other approaches.
7. use frequency / seasonality segmentation
 heavy users
 moderate users
 infrequent users
Data should be readily available on these
campers, therefore cost-effective.
b. ranking your market segments
So far, it has been assumed that all the market segments you identify are of equal importance but,
of course, this almost certainly will not be the case. Prioritize the segments in order of
importance.
To be important, a market segment must offer the potential of a satisfactory return on your
investment and effort. In addition, it must be:
Measurable: You should be able to measure the size of your targeted segment, so that a
reasonable estimate of potential business can be made.
Accessible: You must be able to reach the target market segment through promotion. Also,
campers in the market segment must be able to reach you, and to make reservations.
Substantial: The targeted market segment must be large enough to justify the expense of
marketing.
Defensible: You should be able to demonstrate that the characteristics of the market segment
are sufficiently unusual to justify a special marketing program.
Durable: There must be some expectation that the market segment will remain viable over a
reasonable period of time; it should not be based on a fad.
Competitive: You should be able to demonstrate a definite advantage over your competitors in
serving the needs and wants of the targeted market segment.
The next step is to assess each of your market segments against these criteria, and to arrange the
segments in order of their relative importance to your business.
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Setting Marketing Objectives
Once you have identified your market segments and put them into their order of priority you will
be in a position to establish your marketing objectives for each of those market segments.
As a rule, your marketing objectives should be:
 specific
 stated in terms of desired results
 expressed in quantitative terms, so that actual results can be measured
 achievable within a specified period of time (preferably within one year).
There are two goals – short-term goals and long-term goals – to establish for your RV
park/campground business:
1. Short-term goals
Realistically what can be met in a relatively short period of time, usually a year or less.
Examples of short-term goals
 Increase site rentals by ___%.
 Make a physical improvement to the campsites.
 Offer a new service.
2. Long-term goals
Specifically what you want to do and where you want your RV park/campground to be in one to
five years.
Examples of long-term goals
 Major physical improvements to the RV park/campground.
 Incentives for increasing shoulder and off-season business.
 Expansion of facilities or acquiring new land.
 Establishing a regional or national reputation.
Your marketing objectives should not be based on last year’s results; instead, they should be
based on your situation analysis. For example, suppose you operate an RV park/campground in
a small, urban community and identified your most important market segment is a transient and
repeat enroute market.
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The situation analysis may identify you are the only RV park/campground in the area with pullthrough sites and a children’s playground and these unique selling points (USPs) have not been
promoted. Your marketing objective for the above important segment might therefore be to
generate a 17% increase in business during the camping season.
This kind of objective should be set for each of your market segments and relate closely to the
intended market.
Selecting Marketing Strategies
Once you have set marketing objectives for each of your market segments, then decide on
marketing strategies to achieve the objectives you have set.
Determining a marketing strategy for each of your marketing objectives involves three kinds of
strategies: differentiation, segmentation and differentiation/segmentation.
Differentiation
This strategy emphasizes the differences between your RV park/campground
and your competitors’.
For example, your RV park/campground’s location, services or facilities may
have certain unique selling points, or USPs, and with a differentiation
strategy, these would be highlighted in your marketing programs.
Segmentation
This strategy aims at certain well-defined target market groups, or segments.
For example, if you are aiming at those campers who are interested in
recreational activities, then emphasize the recreational facilities offered.
If you are aiming at people who are price conscious, then stress your
moderate prices and the value for money offered. In other words, the market
segment determines the strategy you are trying to reach.
Differentiation/
Segmentation
As the name suggests, this is a combination of the differentiation and
segmentation approaches.
After determining which market segments offer you the most potential, then
emphasize your USPs to those market segments.
Strategies will change over time. Your marketing strategy must be flexible to adjust to new
challenges and trends.
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Market Positioning
No matter which of the three strategies you choose, ensure that it takes into account your market
positioning, i.e. the market niche that your RV park/campground caters to, and the way you
differentiate it from your competitors’.
Useful tip
It is essential to promote a market position, but you must also
be able to ‘deliver’ that position when your campers arrive.
For example, if you advertise the best beach in town, ensure
that it is.
Positioning statements are usually short and catchy, and are featured in nearly all promotional
materials. Exaggerated claims should be avoided, but simple effective phrases can be used.
Marketing Activities
In Chapter 29, positioning was identified as one of the nine “Ps” of tourism marketing. These
nine “Ps” are the specific activities that must be undertaken in order to put your marketing
strategies into practice and to reach the marketing objectives set.
Not every one will require action in all nine areas, so for each one determine the right marketing
mix, i.e. the right mix of the nine “Ps”, which will allow you to reach the objective as quickly
and as efficiently as possible.
There are two more areas to cover in the marketing planning process. They are marketing
management and marketing evaluation, and are discussed in Chapter 32.
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In summary
Marketing is more than developing an array of activities and
promoting them in as many markets as possible in the hopes
they will attract new business.
You must spend the time to identify the specific market
segments you want to attract to your RV park/campground,
assess how you reach them, and then direct your marketing
activities to those groups.
Review
Question 1:
There are seven approaches to market segmentation. What are they?
Question 2:
What are the three strategies required for each marketing objective?
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